On a raucous Saturday night between the hedges, No. 3 Rochester held on for a gutsy win that might have ramifications all the way to the State Football Playoff Rankings.

For Our Savior's, it was another big-game loss but a performance that should bring more respect.

Brian Zaulauf Jr. threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Parker Gillespie early in the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs survived for a 23-17 victory that was much tougher than many expected.

The Rockets (4-0) trailed 10-7 at halftime but turned the momentum when Divaad Wilson snatch away a deflected pass by Conor McCaffrey for an interception deep in Our Savior's territory.

McCaffrey's 4-yard touchdown pass to Paul Hammond cut the deficit with 3:12 remaining, the Our Savior's defense held, and McCaffrey got the ball back at his own 48 after a poor punt with just under 2 minutes to go.

The Eagles got as far as the Rochester 38, but no father. It ended with McCaffrey zig-zagging on a desperate scramble beofre hurling up a long pass that fell incomplete, denying Our Savior's the signature win over a top opponent it so desperately needs for the program.

Paul Hammond was the intended target and got manhandled going up for the ball, but no flag was called.

"My trajectory to grab the football was blocked, my arms were being grabbed onto when I went up to catch the pass, this loss is on the refs tonight, that no call was insane." Hammond said.

"This stings a little bit," Linemen Jeremiah Perkins said. "But our morale is still high. The season's not over."

McCaffrey finished 29 of 47 for 275 yards, giving Our Savior's a chance right to the end even though the Eagles were outgained 152-46 in rushing yards.

"I left the field thinking we beat ourselves," Vanderkecha said.

LET'S GET PHYSICAL
Our Savior's coach Phillip Heppe said it was "the most physical game he had ever coached."

"You could hear out there," he said. "The Physicality was real."

THE TAKEAWAY
Our Savior's: Dropping to 2-6 vs top-10 teams since the program started, this still seemed like a step in the right direction for the Eagles. Instead of getting blown out by Williamsville in last year's quarterfinals, Our Savior's was in this game all the way.

But McCaffrey's two interceptions were a killer, and the Eagles also seemed to struggle with the noise judging by five false-start penalites and a botched snap on a fourth-down play. "We practice in a loud enviroment," Heppe said. "I'm disappointed didn't handle it better."